Lord Acton Quote 

"Government by idea tends to take in everything,
to make the whole of society obedient to the idea.
Spaces not so governed are unconquered,
beyond the border, unconverted, a future danger."

by:
Lord Acton
[John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton] (1834-1902), First Baron Acton of Aldenham
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Reader comments about this quote:
This, among other things, describes a government of men as is contrary to a government of laws. Democracy and other collectivist concepts fulfill the despotism of this quote.
 -- Mike, Norwalk		 
We are now given the choice of "voting" for Democratic Communists or Republican Communists...not much of a choice is it?
 -- J Carlton, Calgary		 
I wouldn't add "a future danger" to this quote.It doesn't have to be that way.WHEN YOU CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT THINGS,THE THINGS YOU LOOK AT CHANGE.
 -- Me Again		 
It has been human nature since time immemorial to control ones environment, homeland,etcetera in ever widening arcs. Tamerland and Ghengis Khan, Alexander etc. All have tried to expand their hegemony into the unknown. They did it by terror. Humans are a bit ego centric. We see it everywhere. Cities compete against each other for factories, jobs, the arts and culture. The fact is that the unknown barely exists anymore. The world is one, like it or not. The live and let live and leave them alone stance of Brazil towards their "lost tribes" is refreshing but I wander how long it will last.
 -- Waffler, Smith, Arkansas		 
Those "spaces not so governed" are now the individual people. It is believed that 'freedom' is a danger because we cannot control what people will do with it. That is why now that all the land in the world is 'known' and under the control of some body, We the People are now the last 'territory' to conquer. The battle is for the same thing it has always been for: the hearts and minds of the people.
 -- E Archer, NYC		 
Archer I have my secret places but I intend to keep them that way!
 -- Waffler, Smith, Arkansas		 
is this a pro or a con of national security??
 -- Amanda Brown, Maryland Heights		 
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